Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants asks the question that's probably on every Ranger fan's mind this morning, should Torts go?"So here’s the simple answer: there’s no indication and there’s been no indication that Tortorella had to make the playoffs to retain his job. In fact, I suspect, if the Rangers had decided that, Tortorella would have been gone today, a la Lightning GM Brian Lawton and coach Rick Tocchet. I got the e-mail announcing their dismissals at 9:36 this morning. Admittedly, I have not picked up the phone yet today to make a bunch of phone canvassing people around the league on their opinion as to whether Glen Sather and John Tortorella will be back. But based on what I know and what I’ve observed about this organization, both should still feel fairly comfortable in their seats. I still believe owner Jim Dolan will allow Sather to choose when he wants to reduce his role to just president instead of president/GM. Dolan, by the way, was in the dressing room following yesterday’s game."
...no way either one is getting fired. I know last night I said choosing Jokinen over Gaborik was grounds for firing (obviously emotions speaking there) but I feel he deserves to at least start the season. If they go in the tank right off the bat then I don't think the Rangers have any choice.
...as far as Sather goes, as Gross points out, the only way we get rid of him is if he steps down on his own. No matter how much money the Dolans lost with the Rangers not making the playoffs.
...what do you guys think?
8 comments:
no way the fire torts, i know dolan loves paying coaches for years after he fires him but he is one year through i think a 5 year contract. dolan would not fire him right now just to pay him for four more years while having to go after another high priced coach. our problem has been and will continue to be the roster as long as sather is around. his poor contracts are what really hurts this team we cannot go out and get two viable defenseman, a play making center and possibly another scorer. hell we couldnt even get lundy a viable backup until auld was cut and we could just barely sign him under the cap. If sather doesnt go, the bad contracts have to, bury redden in hartford, sather gotta somehow move rosival and as much as i like the guy drury is just not worth his pay. Id be willing to lose a first rounder to get rid of one if not all these guys esp with all the young talent in the pipeline
Im probably in the minority... but I would like to see Torts again next season. Sure, some decisions I didnt agree with in his coaching... but all in all I dont think he did horribly. My only consistent gripe would be his consistency in changing the lineup.
I would, however, like to see Sather step down... for obvious reasons
I think Torts needs to go because he doesn't know how to work with what he has. I know Shelly an Purst only arrived a month ago but he needed to roll 4 lines from the beginning. Plus why wasn't Redden benched for most of the first half of the year.
My God, coach after coach overpaid high priced free agent signings year after year, bottom half of the league for years. The only thing consistent with this dismule showing year after year is SLATS!! Sather must get fired! It should of happened minutes after the Phili game!.
Oh, man...
it's really hard to tell from where we're all sitting what's going wrong beneath the surface and in the organization. On paper the team looks pretty good. So why no consistency? Why the chronic lack of "jam?"
I think there's a leadership issue.
This team can play when it wants to, but somehow they don't all stay on message. I gotta wonder if Lundquist shouldn't be wearing the "C" since he is the #1 guy who came out and competed hard every night... Callahan probably comes in second for effort.
Tortorella will certainly take some of the blame for what has happened this year. But it's hard to tell what's going on sometimes with John "Ask Me No Questions" Tortorella. Obviously not all the players respond well to him. On the one hand I don't want to say you can be "too" tough, but on the other hand I think he might have really broke down a couple guys. Still, given his contract and his proven abilities (in the past), I think you gotta give Torts another year with a group that will work effectively with him -- Prospal, for example, has thrived under Torts. Obviously they have some history, but maybe some of the guys can take this year and make it "history," and come out next year and really play for Torts.
Redden is the cap space I want to clear most of all; a huge disappointment this year (as expected). Roszival, though I was mad at him for most the year, did do some good things down the stretch and he was given the ice time to keep playing well. Still, you're right: bloated contract. And Gilroy... I want to like him but he remained softer than soft the whole year, always poking at the puck with his stick, afraid to play the body. If there became worthwhile deals, I could see trading any of them along with Anders Ericksson (who played pretty well).
Forwards... it's really tough to say... this is where I have a hard time knowing why it's just not working. What the hell's the problem with the first line?!
Playmaking center... I'm disappointed that neither Drury, Dubinsky, or Jokinen, is a true play-making Center. Due to the size of his contract, Jokinen probably gets dealt (but he was pretty good too).
I guess I commented on more than whether Torts should go.
The future is so grim what does it matter.
You look at the players that can play Dooby, Cally, Gabby, Hank, MDZ and Staal. They are all in or going into their primes and it will all be wasted because of bad contracts and poor managment.
With or without Torts and Sather this team isn't doing anything for the next 3-4 years. And by the time all these young guys come up (Kreider, Grachev, Stepan, Bourque) all the aforemention players will proabale be traded, lost to FA, or just not good enough anymore.
I'm rambling on and proable not making much sense, but what I feel most is that 3 bad contracts are killing this organization and until those contracts are off our hands this team isn't doing jack.
I always feel that although we think we have all the answers we don’t. Locker room decisions need to be made in the locker room; including the choice of coach. What is really disappointing at this point is that I get no read from anyone in the Ranger’s management what an unmitigated disaster this season has been. Possibly the worst since I’ve been a fan (45 years). Between the TV coverage crap and the team disappearing in the middle half of the season and then again folding at crucial times in the playoff run at the end. Organizations take on the personalities of their leadership. Mr. Sather and Mr. Dolan need to decide whether they are into this as much as we are because between you and me I’m seriously questioning doing this again next year.
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